Monorail beamways



Dec. 28, 1965 E. Lr-:McKE 3,225,703

MONORAIL BEAMWAYS Filed Sept. 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 OR CKE N@ Nw w Nrn/HF l AN Adm. Amm m E. LEMCKE Dec. 28, 1965 MONORAIL BEAMWAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1965 INVENTOR EBERHARD LEMCKE ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 E. LEMCKE MONORAIL BEAMWAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 18, 1963 infinita INVENTOR EBERHARD LEMCKE M M, M

ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1965 E. LEMCKE MoNoRAIL BEAMwAYs 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Sept. 18, 1963 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS EBERHARD LEMCKE Dec. 28, 1965 E. LEMCKE MoNoRAIL BEAMwAYs 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 18, 1963 INVENTOR EBERHARD I EMOKE BY JM, I/m L 27M ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,225,703 MONORAIL BEAMWAYS Eberhard Lemcke, Bellevue, Wash., assignor to Wegematic, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Fiied Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 309,802 14 Claims. (Cl. 104-120) This invention relates to beamways for monorail transportation systems and more particularly to improvements in the structure and methods of construction thereof.

The beamways of currently proposed urban, interurban, airport, and amusement park or fair ground sightseeing transportation systems and the like are of either the over-riding or the suspended car type. In both general types the train weight is supported upon elongated, horizontally extending beams. Some systems of the type to which the present invention relates, incorporate substantially rectangular, reinforced concrete beams supported above the ground on vertical, reinforced concrete columns. The monorail train rides on, and is primarily supported by, the top surfaces of the beams, and it is maintained upright and in a proper lateral position thereon by side wheels rolling along the lateral beam faces. Such beamways are conventionally composed of relatively short, single span, simply supported beams mounted at either end upon the vertical columns. One beam end is longitudinally iixed to one column and the opposite end is slidably mounted in an expansion joint upon an adjacent column to accommodate longitudinal movement with respect thereto as a result of concrete shrinkage or creep or thermal expansion. This type of monorail beamway construction is shown in co-pending application Serial No. 211,549 filed July 23, 1962, by Eberhard Lemcke for Railway Systems, Monobeam Type.

The improved beamway of the present invention is primarily characterized by continuous beams instead of the independent, simply supported beams heretofore employed. The continuous beams of the present beamway are much longer than the simply supported beams, and each continuous beam extends over and is supported by a plurality of vertical columns. These continuous beams may be straight, transitional, or curved (either simply or super-elevationally) as required.

The novel continuous beam construction of the present invention produces several distinct advantages in monorail transportation systems. First, a substantially smoother train ride results for the following reasons: (a) Mid-span bending moments due to the weight of the monorail train are inherently lower in the continuous beam arrangement, because of the bending moment transfer between the spans of the continuous beam, than they are in comparable simply supported beams, since in the latter arrangement no bending moments are applied to the beam at the simply supported beam ends. Therefore, a greatly reduced amount of pre-stress is required in a between-column section of the continuous beam and the resulting beam camber is reduced. This results in a flatter beamway and a smother train ride. (b) A-s the beam is continuous over a supporting column, there is no abrupt angular change in the plane of the top running surface at that point as there is between the cambered beams of the simply supported beamway. (c) And the elimination of expansion joints at every support column eliminates a source of irregularity or roughness in the beamway and therefore ensures a smoother train ride.

Second, reduced mid-span bending moments and resulting deflections permit a reduction in the amount of concrete and/or reinforcing steel in the beam or preferably permit an increase in the length of the beamway between columns. A reduction of the number of columns per beamway mile effects a significant economy in the cost ff l of the beamway and also produces a more aesthetically pleasing structure.

Third, the elimination of expansion joints at each supporting column considerably simplifies the bearing structure joining the beam and the columns.

As it is normally impractical to cast monorail beams in the field, and as transportation facilities limit the length of a continuous beam that can be transported to the monorail site, the continuous beams of the present invention are preferably made up of a plurality of precast beam sections which are spliced at the monorail site to form a continuous beam. These splices are advantageously positioned over the supporting columns intermediate the ends of the continuous beams. The splices incorporate novel means to post-tension the upper beam portions where they pass over the columns in order to enable these portions to withstand the tensile forces induced at the columns by the beam and train loads. The lield splices are constructed to accommodate a range `of spacings between the ends of adjacent beam sections. Consequently, an advantageous increase in the casting tolerances of the beam sections is made possible by this feature of the present invention.

The beamways of the present invention are further characterized by novel interconnections or bearings between the continuous beam and the support columns which prevent longitudinal movement between the beam and the columns. As a result of this structure, the braking or accelerating loads applied by the monorail train to the beam are distributed to the plurality of columns supporting the beam instead of being entirely imposed upon one column as is the case in the simply supported system. This reduced braking load permits a reduction in the cross-sectional dimensions of the support columns. This is not only economical and aesthetically pleasing, but the reduced column section also results in lower stresses in the columns when they are subjected to longitudinal bending forces under the influence of thermal expansion or contraction of the beam. The reduced braking load also permits simplilication of the bearing structures between the beam and the columns since the reduced longitudinal loads can be absorbed frictionally at these bearings, thereby eliminating the need for a special longitudinal shear key.

Further, when longitudinally fixed interconnections or bearings between the continuous beam and the support columns in acordance with this invention are incorporated in a two-way-trafic dual beamway with side-byside beams supported upon the vertical columns, the torsional stress induced in the vertical columns by reverse braking of two oppositely moving trains is materially reduced or eliminated. This occurs because the braking loads are transmitted to a plurality of columns and because the horizontally rigid framework of the beams and column crossarms achieved in such a dual beamway avoids transmission of the braking loads to the vertical columns as torques.

In one embodiment of the invention, beam bending moments are further reduced by employing beam-tocolumn bearings which prevent rotation between the continuous beams and columns about a transverse horizontal axis. Thus, bending moments can be applied to the continuous beams by the support columns to advantageously reduce mid-span beam moments.

The beamway of the present invention is also characterized by novel force transmission devices at the expansion joints between the ends of adjacent continuous beams. The expansion joints are incorporated in the beamway at predetermined intervals, for example, at every fifth column, to allow for concrete shrinkage and creep and for thermal expansion and contraction. The force transmission devices, which in one embodiment may be dashpot-type mechanisms, permit gradual longitudinal movement between the beam ends at the expansion joints but are effective to substantially rigidly transmit shock forces, such as train braking forces, between the beam ends. These novel devices therefore distribute the braking loads throughout a plurality of adjacent beams and the columns supporting them. Other devices having similar force transmission characteristics may be incorporated in the present invention. Suitable devices include, for example, chemical compositions having a low resistance to long term plastic deformation but high resistance to deformation under shock loads.

As described above, the vertical columns of the present beamway are subjected to longitudinal bending forces by train acceleration and braking, by beam expansion and contraction and, in one embodiment, by transfer of beam bending moments to the columns. Therefore, the Present invention is also characterized by improved connections between the beam-supporting columns and their foundations. These connections incorporate socket-type formations at the upper ends of the foundations which support the lower ends of columns. A cementitious material or grout is placed in the sockets around the column ends to securely connect the columns to their foundations.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide improved monorail beamways.

Further objects of the present invention include:

(l) The provision of improved monorail beamways capable of providing a smoother ride than has heretofore been possible;

(2) The provision of improved monorail beamways having continuous beams;

(3) The provision of improved, continuous, monorail beamways having decreased mid-span bending moments to reduce the strength requirements and increase the allowable span of the beam between support columns;

(4) The provision of improved monorail beamways having a reduced number of expansion joints to smooth the beamway and simplify the beam-to-column bearings;

(5) The provision of improved monorail beamways wherein braking and acceleration loads are distributed to a plurality of beam-supporting columns;

(6) In connection with the preceding object, the provision of beamways having simplied, frictional beam-tocolumn bearings;

(7) The provision of improved monorail beamways wherein adjacent continuous beams are inter-connected by novel force transmission devices;

(8) The provision of improved continuous-beam, monorail beamways fabricated from a plurality of rigidly spliced beam sections;

(9) The provision of improved, novel column-to-foundation connections for monorail beamways;

(10) The provision of improved monorail beamways wherein the component beam sections are installed in a manner permitting greater dimensional tolerances in their manufacture;

(11) The provision of improved methods of construcing monorail beamways to elfect smoother train rides, more economical beamway construction, and more aesthetically pleasing beamway appearance;

(12) The provision of improved methods of splicing beam sections to form continuous-beam monorail transportation systems; and

(13) The provision of improved methods of interconnecting monorail beamway support columns and their foundations.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention wil more fully appear from the following description and appended claims when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a broken side view of a continuous beam portion of a beamway constructed according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through a 4 splice between beam sections of the continuous beam of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through a splice between beam sections according to a modiiied embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through a splice between beam sections according to a further modified embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through an expansion joint provided at the end of each continuous beam of FIGURE l and also shows the expansion joints beam-to-column bearing structure;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through a brake load transfer mechanism at the expansion joint of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of a spliced continuous beam according to the present invention and particularly shows a fully xed bearing structure rigidly securing the continuous beam to a support column;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse vertical section of the bearing structure taken substantially along line 8 8 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal vertical section through a spliced beam of the present invention and shows a modied bearing structure employed between the beam and its supporting column to permit flexibility therebetween;

FIGURE 10 is a transverse vertical section of the modied bearing structure taken substantially along line 101tl of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a partially sectioned side view of a portion of the beamway of FIGURE l showing the novel column-to-foundation connection of the present invention;

FIGURE l2 is a partially sectioned view of the columnto-foundation connections taken substantially on line 12* 12 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a transverse vertical section through a modied embodiment of a socket-like connection between a beam-supporting column and a beamway foundation.

As shown generally in FIGURE l, the novel beamway 20 of the present invention includes a plurality of continuous beams 21 of determinate length, each supported on two exterior columns 22 and, in this specific embodiment, four interior columns 24. Beams 21 are formed from a number of beam sections 26 which are so arranged with respect to columns 22 and 24 that the juxtaposed ends of adjacent sections 26 of the continuous beam are supported on the interior support columns 24 and are there rigidly interconnected by splices 28 to form the continuous elongated beam 21 extending between exterior columns 22.

Opposite ends of adjacent continuous beams 21 meet at, and are simply supported upon, the exterior columns 22. Expansion joints 30 are provided at exterior columns 22 between juxtaposed beam ends to allow for concrete shrinkage and creep and thermal expansion and contraction in the continuous beams. Sliding bearings 32 are provided between the ends of beams 21 and exterior support columns 22 to permit longitudinal sliding motion therebetween. Non-sliding bearings 34 are employed between each interior column 24 and the portion of the continuous beam passing thereover to prevent longitudinal motion of the beam across the top of these columns. Foundations 36 support each interior and exterior column and include socket connections 38 rigidly interconnecting the columns with their foundations.

Beam splices 28 As shown in greater detail in the embodiments of FIG- URES 2, 3, and 4, the beam sections 26 are rigidly interconnected by splices 28 to form the continuous beam 21. As shown in FIGURE 2, beam sections 26 have hollow central cores 42, substantially solid end portions 44, and conventional draped tendons 46 with anchors 48 at their opposite ends to pre-stress the beams and provide the camber necessary to accommodate the live load of the .5 monorail train. After beam sections 26 have been properly positioned in aligned orientation on their support columns, the spaces between the beam sections are iilled with a cementitious material or grout 52 to the level of the post-tensioning recesses 50 in the upper portions of the interior ends of the beam sections, that is, the ends intermediate the length of the continuous beam 21. Vertical recesses 54 in the interior ends of beam sections 26 when filled with grout provide a keyed interlock between each pair of beam ends and the cementitious mass of grout 52 therebetween and prevent lateral slippage or twisting between beam sections.

j Post-tensioning cables 60 at the interior ends of the beam sections accommodate the tensile forces applied to the upper portions of the beam where it passes over the interior support columns. These cables have anchors 62 at points substantially removed from the ends of the beam sections. Cables 60 extend from anchors 62 through cable tubes 64 to the post-tensioning recesses 50 in the beam section ends.

Post-tensioning anchors 66 at the recess ends of cables 60 are connected to post-tensioning blocks 68 enabling a jack to be used to tension the cables 60. Blocks 68 slide upon a plate 70 in the bottom of the recess during the post-tensioning procedure. Blocks 68 and anchors 66 are then securely welded together by spacer plates 72 and rods 74 to maintain the post-tensioning cables 60 in a stressed condition.

Each post-tensioning recess 50 is covered by a plate 76 to form a smooth top-running surface for the monorail beam. Similar cover plates (not shown) are preferably provided to smooth the side-running surfaces of beam 21.

FIGURE 3 shows a modified splice embodiment 28 between beam sections 26 of the continuous beam 21. In this embodiment, reinforcing rods 80, cast integrally in the beam section end portions 44, extend toward the interiors of the beam sections above central cores 42. The upper portion of the beam sections are enlarged as at 82 to accommodate the necessary reinforcing steel work. Reinforcing rods 80 terminate in intertting anchor blocks 84 and 86 in post-tensioning recess 88. As in the splice shown in FIGURE 2, the spaces between the beam section ends are filled with grout 52. After hardenin-g of the grout, the beams are post-tensioned by forcibly jacking anchor blocks 84 and 86 into engagement and welding them together to retain rods 80 in a stressed tensile condition. The post-tensioning recess 88 may then be filled with grout; 90 to smooth the running surfaces of the beam or cover plates similar to those described above for the embodiment of FIGURE 2 may be used for this purpose.

A third splice embodiment 28 is shown in FIGURE 4. In this embodiment, the lower reinforcing steel rods 94 of each beam section 26 are welded to interconnecting members such an angles 96 before filling the spaces between the beam section ends with grout 52 in order to transfer compressive stresses between opposite beam section ends at the bottom of the splice and to insure continuity of the beam sections. After welding reinforcing rods 94, the splice is grouted to the level of post-tensioning'recessees 97, and after the grout cures the beam sections are post-tensioned at the upper portions of the splice in substantially the same manner as in the splice embodiment of FIGURE 2. As shown in FIGURE 4, posttensioning recesses 97 may be lilled with grout to smooth the beam running surfaces.

Expansion joints 30 and exterior bearings 32 As shown in detail in FIGURE 5, the ends of adjacent continuous beams 21 are supported upon an exterior column 22 in an expansion joint 30. Joint 30 includes a steel bearing plate 100 separated by a bed of grout 102 from the upper bearing surface 104 of the crossarm 106 of exterior column 22. Vertical, transverse shear lugs 108, which are preferably cylindrical, are rigidly welded 6 on plate and are slidably received in shear lug housing fabricated from steel plates and cast in the beam ends at the expansion joint. Shear lugs 108 resist transverse movement between the ends of beams 21 and exterior columns 22.

The lower end surfaces of beams 21 are provided with flexible fabric pads 114 faced with plates 116, which, in the preferred embodiment are stainless steel. Plates 116 slidably engage the bearing plates 100 on the column crossarms 106.

Elongated tie-down bolts 120 extend from anchorage points 122 near the upper portion of beams 21 to anchorage points 124 well below the top bearing surface of crossarm 106. Tie-down bolts 120 are tensioned just suiciently to prevent lateral tipping of beams 21 but to permit longitudinal movement between the ends of the beams and the column crossarm 106. Conventional fingerplates 126 at the ends of beams 21 interlock to form smooth running surfaces across the expansion joint.

To transfer braking loads (which may be applied to one continuous beam 21 by a monorail train thereon) to adjacent beams and thereby distribute the braking loads to a greater number of interior columns, a transfer mechanism 130 is provided between the juxtaposed beam ends of adjacent beams. As best shown in FIGURE 6, transfer mechanism 130 is a dashpot-like device comprising a cylinder 132 closed by end plates 134 and 136 and is cast in the end of one beam 21. A piston 138 in cylinder 132 is connected to a piston rod 140 which extends outwardly through cylinder end wall 136 through a seal 142. Piston rod 140 is xed to a plate 144 cast securely in the end of the adjacent beam and retained by reinforcing rods 146. Piston 138 is provided with a plurality of small orifices 148 connecting the two chambers of cylinder 132 on opposite sides of the piston.

This mechanism per-mits slow, gradual, longitudinal relative movement between the ends of adjacent beams 21 caused by concrete shrinkage or creep or thermal expansion or contraction of the beams. However, rapid movement between the beams as might be occasioned by monorail train acceleration or braking is effectively prevented by a transfer of such short duration forces from the beam on which the monorail train is located through the -dashpot mechanism to the adjacent continuous beams 2l and fro-m them to further adjacent beams and so on. In this manner, braking loads are distributed to a large number of interior columns through non-sliding interior bearings 34.

Interior bearings 34 As shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, spliced beam 21 is secured to interior columns 24 by bearings 34 consisting of fabric pads installed between the beam and a layer of grout 162 on the upper bearing surface 164 of column crossarm 166. Fabric pads 160 are sufficiently flexible to allow beam 21 to rotate about a transverse horizontal axis with respect to the crossarm 166. Relatively widely laterally spaced tie-down bolts 168 on either side of splice 28 prevent lateral tilting of the beam 21 with respect to the column. These bolts are tensioned, as by end nuts 169, to create sufficient friction between the lower surfaces of the concrete beam, the upper surface of the grout layer 162, and the fabric pad 160 to prevent beam 21 from sliding longitudinally on the column.

To permit rotation between the beam and the column, tie-down bolts 168 are arranged with minimal longitudinal spacing and are -made relatively long to minimize change of tension during such rotation. The bolts extend from tie-down bolt recesses 170 located near the upper portions of beams 21 to crossarm recesses 172 located at positions well below the bearing surface 164 of the crossarm. To further enhance the ilexibility of bearings 34, tie-down bolts 168 are secured between fabric pads 174 at either end of the bolts. Anchor plates 178 are disposed under the fabric ypads 174 in tie-down recesses 170.

To prevent transverse movement between beams 21 and crossarms 166, a shear key 180 is securely welded at 182 -to a mounting plate 184 which is rigidly welded to reinforcing bars 186 within the crossarm. Shear key 180 extends upwardly into shear key housings 188 which are fabricated from steel plates and cast within the lower surface of beam 21 at the interior beam section ends.

FIGURES 7 and 8 show a modified interior bearing 34. Bearings 34 prevent rotation between beams 21 and interior columns 24 about horizontal transverse axes and are therefore capable of transferring bending moments between the beams and the columns. Bearings 34' include steel bearing plates 190 mounted upon a layer of grout 191 located on the upper bearing surface 164 of column crossarm 166. Fabricated, plate steel, beam fixtures 192 are secured within continuous beam 21 on both sides of splices 28.

Fixtures 192 include bottom plates 194, vertical back plates 196, top plates 198, and rigidifying transverse plates 200. Vertically extending reinforcing rods 202 extend upwardly into the interior of the beam section ends from rigid welded connections with back plates 196. Beam bearing plates 204 extend transversely across the ends of the beam sections between fixtures 192 and bear against 'plates 190 of the column crossarm.

Crossarm mounting fixtures 206 are rigidly mounted on opposite sides of the column crossarm by bolts 208 extending into bolt receiving portions 209 of the crossarm.

Short vertically extending beam mounting bolts 212 extend through lugs 210 on column fixtures 206 and through the lower plates 194 of the bearing fixtures 192 of the beam. Bolts 212 are secured by locking nuts 214.

Because beam mounting bolts 212 are wide spread and relatively short, and because of the steel-to-steel bearing plate contact, bearings 34 are rigid and effectively prevent transverse rotation between continuous beam 21 and interior `columns 24. Thus bearings 34 transfer beam bending moments to the interior columns to further reduce stress and detiection of the continuous beams.

Column to foundation connections 38 As shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, the foundations 36 for columns 22 and 24 each include a vertically elongated cylindrical section 220 terminating at its lower end in a semi-cylindrical pedestal 222 and, at its upper end, in a socket member 224. In the preferred embodiment, socket member 224 is generally square and has a substantially cylindrical .internal socket opening 226. Columns 22 and' 24 rest in the bottom of vsocket openings 226 and, after being properly oriented and aligned, are secured in place by filling socket`2`24 with grout 228. After the grout cures, the surrounding ground is releveled over the top of the socket to achieve -an aesthetically pleasing bea-mway appearance.

A` modified column-to-foundation connection 38 is shown in FIGURE 13. In this embodiment the generally cylindrical elongated portion 220 of foundation 36 terminates, at its upper end, in a flared portion 230 having an upper column bearing surface 232. Reinforcing rods 234 protrude upwardly from surface 232 of the foundation around the periphery of fiared portion 230. Columns 22 and 24 are modified in this embodiment by cutting away peripheral portions 236 at their lower ends to expose those column reinforcing bars 238 adjacent reinforcing bars 234 of the foundation when the column is in position. The surrounding ground forms a socket at the upper end of the `foundation into which grout 240 is poured around the lower end of columns 22 and 24. The grout rigidly interlocks reinforcing bars 234 and 238, forming a rigid, secure, and very efficient column-to-foundation connection.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the vappended claims rather th-an by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letter Patent is:

1. In a monorail transportation system:

(a) a series of adjacent, aligned, elongated continuous beams forming a. vehicle supporting and guiding beamway;

(b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced beam-supporting columns intermediate the ends `of each beam, said beam being longitudinally fixed with respect to said columns; and

(c) expansible means between the juxtaposed ends of -adjacent beams to accommodate longitudinal movement therebetween including force transmitting means comprising a fluid filled cylinder. mounted at the end of one Vbeam and a cooperating piston mounted in said cylinder and secured to the juxtaposed end of an adjacent beam to provide a dashpot effect for longitudinal movement therebetween.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 together with means fixing said beams to said columns so as to transfer bending moments therebetween.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said means fixing said beams to said columns include:

(a) vertically aligned fixtures rigidly mounted on said beams adjacent bottom support surfaces thereof and on said columns adjacent the upper beam-supporting surfaces thereof, said fixtures being located at positions substantially removed from vertical transverse center planes through said columns; and

(b) relatively inflexible mounting means connecting the fixtures on said beams and to those on said columns to rigidly clamp said beams on said columns and thereby transfer beam bending moments to said columns.

4. A combination a-s defined in claim 1 together with means connecting said beams to said columns and enabling beam rotation upon the columns about a horizontal axis which is normal to a plane through the longitudinal axis of the beam.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said connecting means include:

(a) compressible members positioned between a bottom support surface of said beams and the top beamsupporting surfaces of said columns; and

(b) vertically elongated means extending from an upper portion of said beams to a portion of said columns substantially below the beam-supporting surface thereof to flexibly clamp said beams on -said columns and thereby frictionally prevent longitudinal sliding movement therebetween. y

6. A combination as defined in claim 1 togetherwith vertically elongated column-supporting foundations having socket means at the upper ends thereof to accommodate the lower ends of said columns and a oementitious mass in said socket means to ysecurely connect said columns to said foundations. l

7. A combination as defined in claim 6 wherein said columns and said foundations have elongated reinforcing means protruding from the lower and upper ends thereof, respectively, into said cementitious mass to rigidify the connection between said columns and said foundations.

8. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein there are, between each of the vertical columns supporting the juxtaposed ends of adjacent beams and the two beam ends `supported thereon, means including -sliding bearings accommodating relative longitudinal movements between said beam ends and said columns.

9. In a monorail transportation system:

(a) a series of adjacent, aligned, elongated continuous beams forming a vehicle supporting and guiding beamway; each of said beams being comprisedof a plurality of aligned, elongated, spaced concrete bea sections; y

(b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced beam-supporting columns intermediate lthe ends of each beam, said beam sections being longitudinally fixed with respect to said columns;

(c) first beam section connecting means between the spaced, juxtaposed ends of adjacent beam -sections to rigidly transmit compressive forces therebetween;

(d) sec-ond beam section connecting means separate from said first connecting means between said beam ends to rigidly transmit tensile forces therebetween and thereby effect with said first means a rigid interconnection between said beam sections; and

(e) expansible means between the juxtaposed ends of adjacent beams to accommodate longitudinal movement therebetween including force transmitting means comprising a fiuid filled cylinder mounted at the end of one lbeam and a cooperating piston mounted in `said cylinder and secured to the juxtaposed end of an adjacent beam to provide a dashpot effect for longitudinal movement therebetween.

10. A monorail transportation system as defined in claim 9 wherein said interconnecting means includes a mass of cementitious material between said juxtaposed beam ends.

11. A beamway as defined in claim 10 wherein said juxtaposed beam section ends have vertically extending deformations to interfit with said cementitious material to interlock said sections.

12. A monorail transporta-tion system as defined in claim 9 wherein said second connecting means comprise:

(a) cables anchored to said beam sections at points substantially removed from the ends thereof;

(b) cable tubes enclosing Iand leading said cables to the upper portions of the beam ends; and

(c) means to pre-stress and fixedly join said cables at the juxtaposed ends of adjacent beam sections.

13. A monorail transportation system as defined in claim 9 wherein said second connecting means comprise:

(a) elongated reinforcing members cast in `said beam sections to protrude from `said juxtaposed beam lsection ends; and

(b) means to post-stress and join the protruding members of said adjacent beam sections.

14. In a monorail transportation system, a beamway comprising:

(a) a serie-s of adjacent, aligned, elongated, continuous beams for supporting and Iguiding a vehicle on said beamway, each said continuous beam including:

(l) a plurality of elongated beam sections in aligned relation with the opposite ends of adjatween said juxtaposed ends to secure 4said ends in fixed spaced relation and to transmit compressive forces therebetween, said juxtaposed beam section ends having vertically extending deformations to interfit with said cementitious material to interlock said sections, and connecting means between the upper portions of said juxtaposed ends to transmit tensile forces therebetween;

(b) a plurality of exterior columns each positioned to support the juxtaposed ends of adjacent continuous beams;

(c) exterior bearing means positioned between said exterior columns and the ends of said continuous beams to permit longitudinal sliding movement therebetween;

(d) a plurality of interior columns positioned to support said continuous beams at the locations of said splicing means between said beam sections;

(e) interior bearing means located between said interior columns and the adjacent portions of said continuous beams adapted to prevent longitudinal motion therebetween;

(f) force transmitting mean-s between the juxtaposed ends of adjacent beams at said exterior columns, comprising a fluid filled cylinder mounted at the end `of one beam and a cooperating piston mounted in said cylinder and secured to the juxtaposed end of an adjacent beam to provide a dashpot effect for longitudinal movement therebetween;

(g) a plurality of vertically elongated column-supporting foundations beneath each of said exterior and interior columns; and

(h) means connecting said foundations `to said columns including socket means at the upper ends of said foundations adapted to receive the lower ends of said columns and means forming a cementitious mass in said socket means around said lower column ends to fixedly connect said columns to said foundations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,667,970 5/192'8 Hermann 50-25 X 2,014,430 9/1935 Fish 104-125 2,630,075 3/1953 Olmsted 104-125 2,985,376 5/1961 Smith 23S-122 3,090,326 5/1963 Goodell et al 104-124 FOREIGN PATENTS 624,406 7/ 1961 Canada. 758,226 l0/ 1956 Great Britain.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. 

1. IN A MONORAIL TRANSPORATION SYSTEM: (A) A SERIES OF ADJACENT, ALIGNED, ELONGATED CONTINOUS BEAMS FORMING A VEHICLE SUPPORTING AND GUIDING BEAMWAY; (B) A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED BEAM-SUPPORTING COLUMNS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF EACH BEAM, SAID BEAM BEING LONGITUDINALLY FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID COLUMNS; AND (C) EXPANSIBLE MEANS BETWEEN THE JUXTAPOSED ENDS OF ADJACENT BEAMS TO ACCOMMODATE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN INCLUDING FORCE TRANSMITTING MEANS COMPRISING A FLUID FILLED CYLINDER MOUNTED AT THE END OF ONE BEAM AND A COOPERATING PISTON MOUNTED IN SAID CYLINDER AND SECURED TO THE JUXTAPOSED END OF AN ADJACENT BEAM TO PROVIDE A DASHPOT EFFECT FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN. 